Actually, if you have a G4 with 10.5, you can run Photoshop 1.0 on it....I keep an old laptop around just for that purpose so I can launch PS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, CS, CS2, CS3, CS4 & CS5 on that machine...and CS5 & CS6 on my current laptop. I did a video of Photoshop 1.0.7 and Photoshop CS3 for Russell Brown to play at a Photoshop World in Japan (Russell didn't have the time to do it).

Adobe has also given the source code of Photoshop 1 to the Computer History Museum...you can download it here. You can read the original Photoshop User Guide here. And a Photoshop 1 tutorial here. Note, you'll need something (Pascal) to compile the PS 1 source code...

"If Photoshop’s a city, Lightroom’s a clean lot, ready to be built up for today’s users.'' - Thomas Knoll

It should be noted that the author got something wrong...Thomas did NOT start Lightroom, that was Mark Hamburg that was the founding engineer. In fact, Thomas wasn't really all that on board with LR...it took a while to convince Thomas that the ACR and LR code could be combined into a single processing pipeline.

I think it would be fascinating if LuLa could include a segment in an upcoming video journal on the history of PS and LR, with Michael pumping you and you giving the inside info. These tidbits you dole out here and there are quite tantalizing. Thanks for doing them.

These tidbits you dole out here and there are quite tantalizing. Thanks for doing them.

Here's another tidbit...a brief history of Photoshop 1. You can also read the article I did for PEI Magazine for the 10th birthday of Photoshop here. That 10 year history ended at Photoshop 5.5 (not CS5.5 but version 5.5) So, we've come a long way since then :~)

Thanks for those, too. I think my own adventures with PS started around version 6, certainly by 7. I may have skipped one version since then, but never more than 1. But now it's LR for 95% of what I do, largely thanks to you and Michael.

Actually, if you have a G4 with 10.5, you can run Photoshop 1.0 on it....I keep an old laptop around just for that purpose so I can launch PS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, CS, CS2, CS3, CS4 & CS5 on that machine...and CS5 & CS6 on my current laptop. I did a video of Photoshop 1.0.7 and Photoshop CS3 for Russell Brown to play at a Photoshop World in Japan (Russell didn't have the time to do it).

More pertinent to my position: I use PS6 on Windows XP and worry about the time when the machine dies. As far as I can discover, the new versions of Windows won't accept PS6 because it's too ancient, and my other computer, running on Vista, certainly won't either, as I have tried out 'just in case'...

However, I seem to remember mention of something that does permit this retro-fitting of old PS6 with new Windows, but don't know if the info. was for real or just another wild, internet guess.

Is there no solution other than buying a new version of Photoshop? As the crisis would indicate purchase of a new computer as well as Photoshop, I look at that in terms of monthly pension, and it isn't pretty!

It should be noted that the author got something wrong...Thomas did NOT start Lightroom, that was Mark Hamburg that was the founding engineer. In fact, Thomas wasn't really all that on board with LR...it took a while to convince Thomas that the ACR and LR code could be combined into a single processing pipeline.

My guess is that ancient version of Photoshop should run on newer computers with hard drives smaller than 1TB -- but PS6 would still only be able to use 2GB memory.

A new computer with a 64bit OS and lots GBs of memory seems the affordable part of the overall upgrade -- maybe the new computer would be a good time to try a one month free trial of Lightroom and see if that fits your needs.

More pertinent to my position: I use PS6 on Windows XP and worry about the time when the machine dies. As far as I can discover, the new versions of Windows won't accept PS6 because it's too ancient, and my other computer, running on Vista, certainly won't either, as I have tried out 'just in case'...

However, I seem to remember mention of something that does permit this retro-fitting of old PS6 with new Windows, but don't know if the info. was for real or just another wild, internet guess.

Is there no solution other than buying a new version of Photoshop? As the crisis would indicate purchase of a new computer as well as Photoshop, I look at that in terms of monthly pension, and it isn't pretty!

;-)

Rob C

I've run PS 7 upgraded from 5.5 on Vista and Windows 7 without any problems, I'm not sure if they would work with Win 8 though.

Rob, if your machine dies and you have to buy a Windows 8 machine (Heaven forfend), you can run an XP emulation in Oracle's VirtualBox utility. Here's the poop: http://liliputing.com/2012/12/run-windows-xp-in-a-window-on-windows-8-without-paying-an-extra-cent.html. Thank Heaven for Oracle. Their version of Word is at least as good as Microsoft's, and same thing for their presentation tool (formerly Impress), which is as good as PowerPoint. Year before last I did a series of lectures on the history of photography and street photography using Impress. There was a computer in the hall where I made the pitches that was connected to a projector and loaded with PowerPoint. All I had to do was save the stuff out of Presentation on a DVD in PP format, and I was in business.

Rob, if your machine dies and you have to buy a Windows 8 machine (Heaven forfend), you can run an XP emulation in Oracle's VirtualBox utility. Here's the poop: http://liliputing.com/2012/12/run-windows-xp-in-a-window-on-windows-8-without-paying-an-extra-cent.html. Thank Heaven for Oracle. Their version of Word is at least as good as Microsoft's, and same thing for their presentation tool (formerly Impress), which is as good as PowerPoint. Year before last I did a series of lectures on the history of photography and street photography using Impress. There was a computer in the hall where I made the pitches that was connected to a projector and loaded with PowerPoint. All I had to do was save the stuff out of Presentation on a DVD in PP format, and I was in business.

Thanks Riuss - I've copied that down unto the day!

Watched a programme just now where a lady tries to rescue a family photography business. I had to give up: too painful to watch on many different levels. Thank God I gave up on working for members of the public very, very quickly!

Yes, try The Gimp. This now has a better feature set than PS6 and is totally free.Anyone who knows the basics of digital image editing shouldn't find the transition too steep. It's mainly just learning the slightly different icons.

Yes, PS CS6 has more features, but for people with more time than money almost everything can be worked round.

Yes, try The Gimp. This now has a better feature set than PS6 and is totally free.Anyone who knows the basics of digital image editing shouldn't find the transition too steep. It's mainly just learning the slightly different icons.

Yes, PS CS6 has more features, but for people with more time than money almost everything can be worked round.

Gimp. I can't remember which computer, but I do remember that when long, long ago I took one in for repair, the shop installed Gimp as a goodwill gesture. I think I did use it a few times, but didn't feel that it offered very much at all, but things may be very different today.

Thanks for the suggestion - better to have alternatives available than not!

Rob, I hate to suggest it since I know it's a painful transition, but in the long run the best thing to do is buy a copy of Lightroom and learn to use it. It's far superior to early versions of Photoshop, and has everything any photographer really needs without the confusion of the bells and whistles in Photoshop for people doing things like prepress work.

Damn it, Rob! Forget about PS and switch already to the only tool a photographer like you needs: Lightroom.

I keep upgrading by inertia: I processed exactly 1 (one) photograph in CS4 (at least a major photograph, and as much I can remember -- which by itself says a lot: if I can't remember, it probably either did not happen or does not really matter). I then upgraded to CS5 as Adobe threatened to shorten the generation you can upgrade from to one: I NEVER EVEN OPENED CS5, and CS6 was there. I upgraded to it and, yes, opened it, but have not processed a single major photograph in it yet. There you go: why would you have to learn from your own mistakes, when you can learn from mine?